Daily Archives: April 4, 2020

ABU DHABI, The UAE Government has announced the detection of 241
new coronavirus cases among various nationalities, taking to 1,505 the number
of infections in the country.

‏The UAE Government also announced the full recovery of 17
patients after receiving the necessary medical care, taking the total number of
recoveries to 125 to date.

‏The announcement was made by the Ministry of Health and
Prevention during a regular media briefing on Saturday, wherein Dr. Farida Al
Hosani, the official spokesperson for the UAE health sector, highlighted the
latest COVID-19 developments in the country and the measures taken by Emirati
authorities to combat the spread of the pandemic.

‏”The newly diagnosed patients of various nationalities are in
a stable condition and receiving the necessary medical care,” Dr. Al Hosani
affirmed.

She noted that the death of a 53-year-old Arab patient, who
succumbed to health complications related to COVID-19, raised the number of
fatalities to ten.

‏She expressed her sincere condolences to the family of the
deceased and wished a speedy recovery for all patients.

The official spokesperson for the UAE health sector indicated
that the increase in new cases was expected given the intensive proactive
testing being conducted by health authorities among infected individuals and
their contacts.

‏”Proactive surveillance and testing, along with the expansion
in the isolation of contact cases, are critical in this stage, and therefore we
expect to diagnose more cases,” she added.

‏She stressed that the general public should maintain a safe
physical distance and adhere to preventative measures, warning them of the
possibility of being infected and later passing the virus to others when
venturing out of the home unless absolutely necessary. She also called upon
those currently under home quarantine to adhere to safety protocols and the
full duration of the quarantine.

‏She advised members of the community to refrain from spreading
false information and rumours and instead consume news and decisions from official
sources only, saying: ”We all have a responsibility toward ensuring the
success of national efforts to fight the novel coronavirus.” ‏On
preventative measures, Dr. Al Hosani underscored that wearing face masks is
imperative for all at this stage, especially when leaving home.

‏”Studies showed that wearing face masks in public places is
typically limited to those suffering from respiratory ailments like
coughing.” However, she continued, “new studies and research, as well
as international recommendations, suggest that the virus could infect people
who do not show symptoms.”

‏Speaking about the National Disinfection Programme, Dr. Al
Hosani discussed the extension of the nation-wide sanitisation drive after the
successful implementation of the first phase, describing it as an
”important” step within the country’s ongoing preventative measures to fight
the virus. The programme will be subject to periodic assessment as per
recommendations approved by the World Health Organisation and established international
practices.

‏She underscored the importance of compliance from the public
during the programme, as authorities in each emirate will implement
disinfection plans that accommodate the requirements of local entities.

‏Discussing the economic impact of COVID-19, Rashid Al Muhairi,
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, said that the economic sector is the
most affected by the virus given the fact that the UAE economy is competitive,
flexible, and highly connected to international markets. ”The UAE economy is
not far away from the effects of the COVID-19 crisis,” he noted.

‏”To ward off this negative impact, the Ministry of Economy has
coordinated with other relevant authorities to ensure business sustainability,
increase readiness, and set up central operations rooms and taskforces on
retail outlets, suppliers, price controls, consumer protections, tourism, and
foreign trade and investment to address the expected economic challenges,” he
added.

‏On measures taken so far, Al Muhairi explained that a database
of more than 1,600 registered retail outlets across the country has been
established and a plan has been developed to regularly assess the availability
of basic commodities.

‏Al Muhairi referred to sustained coordination between the
Ministry and its stakeholders, including suppliers and retail outlets, to
ensure that these commodities are available at reasonable prices. Coordination
with customs departments has also enabled the fast tracking and facilitation of
the entry of food shipments from ports to storehouses. Customs and clearance
procedures have been reduced from two days to a few hours, he explained.

‏Other measures, he continued, include cooperation with
suppliers to diversify their sources of imports and identify alternative
markets of basic commodities to meet the demands of local markets in the event
that items are affected by measures taken in goods’ countries of origin.

‏On price control measures, he added that the Ministry has set a
profit cap of 5 percent that retail outlets should not exceed when selling face
masks and sanitisers.

‏Al Muhairi affirmed, ”UAE markets are not facing a shortage of
any essential commodity, and supply and import operations are taking place as
planned. Local production is continuing, and stockpiles are sufficient for long
periods. Therefore, there is no need for consumer malpractices such as the
excessive hoarding of commodities.” ‏He said that tourism is one of the
sectors significantly affected by the coronavirus crisis due to travel bans and
international traffic restrictions. However, he stressed, the UAE tourism
sector is resilient. ”The sector is expected to quickly rebound after the
crisis,” he concluded.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Zczc

Ban on catching, selling of ‘badah’ fish
lifted

ABU DHABI, The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has
lifted from tomorrow, Sunday until the end of the year in the emirate of Abu
Dhabi, the ban on catching and selling of the ‘Longtail Silver Biddy’ fish,
known locally as ‘badah’.

This came on directives from H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, Chairman of Environment
Agency – Abu Dhabi, in response to a request by the Agency, as a result of
which Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the Minister of Climate Change and
Environment, has issued the Ministerial Decision 108 of 2020 amending the
Ministerial Decision 135 of 2017 on banning the catching and selling of badah.

The fishing and selling ban was meant to allow the fish species to
reproduce while the new development aims to ensure sustainability of food
supply chains on domestic markets.

ABU DHABI, The UAE Government is providing, through its official
website, digital government services around the clock, to enable customers to
complete their transactions remotely, ensuring their safety and supporting the
country’s efforts to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and
limit its impact on all sectors.

The UAE Government offers 3,730 vital services, which include
more than 270 federal services, through smart channels on its official portal.
Customers can benefit from more than 180 remote services, including vital
services to senior citizens and residents and people of determination.

They can also search for an authority’s name or filter results
by emirate or category, and services are arranged alphabetically for easy
access.

These electronic services are characterised by their ease of
use, account the needs of customers, are supported by a digital identity
system, and enable customers to download documents and save their applications
for later submission. They also enable customers to digitally sign documents
and forms, which requires initial registration in the smart entry system.

The official website has recorded the completion of many digital
transactions in all sectors, such as 4,936,040 payments of traffic violations
around the country, as well as the completion of 1,381,095 other transactions
that include the renewal work permits and contracts from outside the country,
the completion of 987,194 vehicle ownership renewal transactions, the payment
of 964,381 electricity and water bills, and 751,762 ID card renewals.

In a statement to Emirates News Agency (WAM), Salem Al Hosani,
Acting Deputy Director-General of the Information and Smart Government Sector,
said, “As part of the authority’s role in achieving smart transformation
at federal and national levels, we are keen to establish the appropriate
infrastructure and general principles to provide integrated government services
while considering the priority of dealers.”

“During the current circumstances when we are witnessing
precautionary measures at a national level to counter the spread of
coronavirus, we are all reaping the fruits of these efforts through our
readiness, whether in terms of services development or telecommunications and
digital transformation infrastructure,” Al Hosani added.

“We are ready to continue supporting government agencies in
providing remote services, in line with the directives of the country’s
leadership and to achieve the authority’s goals to promote a digital lifestyle
and create smart infrastructure for the communications sector and digital
transformation,” he further added.

The Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021 aims to diversify and
employ advanced technologies, to ensure that 50 percent of federal government
transactions at done through blockchain by 2021, saving time, effort and
resources and enabling individuals to complete most of their transactions in a
place and time appropriate to their lifestyle and work.

The strategy will also save AED11 billion annually, as well as
389 million government documents, 77 million hours of work, and 1.6 billion
kilometres of driving distance.

SHARJAH, The Board of Trustees of the Sharjah Excellence Award
has announced that the registration for the seven categories of the award is
now open and will last until the end of October 2020.

The award is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh
Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of
Sharjah, and organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SCCI.

The SCCI called on the business communities in the UAE and the
Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, to participate in the award and to make use of
its numerous benefits, including the awareness programmes and courses which
enhance the culture of institutional quality and excellence and adopt the best
practices in the private sector.

This year, the activities will only be available online keeping
in mind the SCCI’s regard for the health and safety of everyone in light of the
novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the SCCI and the Board of
Trustees of Sharjah Excellence Award, thanked the board members and appreciated
the efforts of the staff members, evaluation committees, the jury committees,
the advisors, and the strategic partners in the previous edition, something
which helped consolidate the award’s status and reputation as one of the most
important awards in the region.

Al Owais called on the award’s staff members to intensify their
efforts in promoting the various categories of the award, to achieve its
message to enhance the role of the private sector in economic integration. This
can be achieved by developing the private sector and enhancing its performance
and efficiency not only in Sharjah but also in the GCC.

This in line with the wise vision of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin
Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

Promoting the Investment Climate The SCCI’s Chairman underlined
the importance of the Sharjah Excellence Award which promotes the investment
climate for the UAE and Gulf business communities. This would help to enhance
the growth of commercial and industrial businesses and build a sustainable
economy, especially due to the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nada Al Hajri, General Coordinator of the Sharjah Excellence
Award, said that registration is open to all companies and the small, medium,
and large enterprise via email and website. The enterprises can submit their
files until the end of November 2020, while the evaluation process will take
place from December 2020 to January 2021, she said.

DUBAI, Several institutes and departments in the UAE responded
to the request of the Ministry of Community Development to light the key
landmarks in blue to symbolise the World Autism Awareness Day which falls on
April 2nd each year, and is celebrated this year under the theme of
“Transition to Adulthood”.

The ministry is very keen annually to organise a series of
educational and awareness initiatives and events on this occasion, including
the lighting of several key landmarks and government buildings in blue, as part
of the efforts to support people of determination, their families and care
providers based on the role of the community development role and awareness of
this disorder.